


i'll search the universe (to find you again)

by Bleutea



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, CEO!Minji, Friends are great, Happy Ending, Scientist!Yoohyeon, suayeon crazy duo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:54:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22205194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bleutea/pseuds/Bleutea
Summary: Two childhood friends meet again after drifting apart.
Relationships: Han Dong | Handong/Lee Yoobin | Dami, Kim Minji | JiU/Kim Yoohyeon
Comments: 16
Kudos: 222





	1. you were like a gift to me

Minji and Yoohyeon.

Yoohyeon and Minji.

Those two names were almost always stuck together. They were your typical childhood friends. Lived next to one another, their mothers were great friends, and they played together under the sun. 

Minji was a kind-hearted child. She wore cute little dresses and spoke nicely to adults and children alike. When she played on the playground, she would always allow the younger kids the chance to play on the swings. It was easy to like her. Yoohyeon on the other hand, couldn't be more different from her. The younger girl preferred pants to dresses. She wasn’t as articulate as Minji, but she tried her best to learn from her best friend. When she played at the playground, she enjoyed the swings without care for who’s turn it was. Adults liked her anyways for her easygoing and bright nature. 

Minji took care of Yoohyeon like she was her younger sister. Of course, Gahyeon, Minji’s actual younger sister, was jealous at the attention Yoohyeon received. But when she got to know the clumsy girl, it wasn’t hard for them to become friends. Besides, if Yoohyeon could make Minji smile like that, then Gahyeon was all for having Yoohyeon around. 

Life at home was difficult for the siblings for different reasons. When they weren’t going to school, their parents took them to academies and lessons. Such was the life of heiresses. Kim Corporation was taking off in recent years in the new age of technology. Minji loved her parents and all that they do for her and Gahyeon, but she couldn’t help but be unsatisfied. She just wanted to spend time with her parents instead of them sending gifts to make up for their absence. 

Minji and Gahyeon probably spent more time with their babysitter than with their mother and father. They understood the need for their parents to be working. They were happy even for the success that their family has found. 

But they couldn't help but be happily unhappy.

\--

Middle school was a boring affair. Study, eat, play with Yoohyeon, go to business lessons, sleep, rinse and repeat. It was the same thing everyday. The same pressures placed on her tiny shoulders by her parents. Her younger sister’s worried gaze on the back of her head. 

(But she would do it all over again if it meant that Gahyeon, her baby sister, would continue to have the freedom she deserves.) Gahyeon ended up loving singing so Minji did what any good sister would do: Become the sole heir to the family company. Instead of going to singing lessons with Gahyeon like when they were children, Minji sat inside her father’s office to read words in a contract she hardly understood. While other friends from school would get ice cream after school, Minji was stuck learning the proper etiquette for fine dining. Gahyeon once voiced her concern with her older sister as well.

“Unnie, if it’s too hard, you can always tell mom and dad that you don’t want to do this anymore… or I can help you...” Gahyeon had said with a sad face. Minji hasn’t gone out in a week to play with her or Yoohyeon, citing her reason as needing to study for school and the company. The bunny-like girl was exhausted after a long day and just wanted to rest.

“I’m alright whiny puppy. Besides, you love singing and I love to hear you sing. So please, keep singing.” Minji gives Gahyeon a pat on the head and makes her way to her bedroom. Gahyeon’s worried gaze followed her all the way.

Sometimes, it was all too much for Minji. She would hold her head high throughout the day but break down in the darkness of her childhood bedroom. But there was a saving grace in all of this: Yoohyeon. 

Yoohyeon always knew when Minji was feeling down. And in a true Yoohyeon-like fashion, she would drag Minji out of those lessons and bring her somewhere fun to play. Sometimes they would have spontaneous adventures at the park, like they used to when they were six. Other times, Yoohyeon would ask Minji’s parents for permission to bring her to the amusement park. Normally, Mr. Kim was very strict with his child’s lessons but, when he saw how tired she seemed to be nowadays, he finds his heart hurting for his child. So he easily says yes. It certainly helps that it’s Yoohyeon, whom he and his wife adore. Perhaps Yoohyeon will be his daughter-in-law one day...he wouldn’t be opposed to that.

However, their lovely childhood of fun and games came to an abrupt end when the Kim corporation started going downhill. One bad business transaction caused the company to nearly file for bankruptcy. As a result, the Kim family decided to move from Seoul to Japan, where there were more opportunities to recover from their losses. 

Yoohyeon cried more than she ever had in her 13 years of living that fall. The air was beginning to become crisp, transitioning between hot and cold weather. The younger girl loved autumn, it was neither too hot nor too cold. Just perfect, in her eyes. But the fact that her best friend and her sister were going to move away forever made autumn seem colder than usual. She cried as Minji held her hand for the last time. They promised to write to each other often but Yoohyeon knew it wasn’t going to be the same. She was going to have to go through the awkward teenage years without her best friend by her side.

But more than anything, Yoohyeon was worried that Minji was going to overwork herself without her there to keep the older in check. She worried that Gahyeon would be lonely without her older sibling to play with her. She worried that Minji would be forced to dedicate everything into helping the company get back on its feet. 

(Most importantly, she worried that her Minji, kind-hearted and loving Minji, would forget all about her.)

As it came to be, Yoohyeon was right to worry about all of these things. Long distance strained their friendship and by the time high school was over, they had not spoken to each other for 5 years.

\--

Yoohyeon was in for a surprise when she finds out that Gahyeon has moved back into the house next door with her mom. She was on her way to her university when she runs into the smaller girl on the driveway. 

“Yooh unnie!” Gahyeon tackles her into a hug, squishing her face as much as she could into the taller’s neck. 

Yoohyeon recoils from the impact but manages to balance them both. Gahyeon was not the little kid she remembered. But then again, it’s been 7 years and she herself has gotten quite tall. “Little Hyeon! When did you get back? Are you moving back in here?”

“Yep! I actually moved back to Korea a few years back with my mom but we only just managed to purchase this house again. It’s really nice to be back!” Yoohyeon had a ton of questions like why did Gahyeon come back and why was she just with her mom. But she held her tongue seeing how happy Gahyeon was to see her. She was about to suggest grabbing some coffee to catch up but her phone rings with notifications that her class was about to start. 

“Shoot, I’m sorry Gahyeon. My class is going to start so I have to get going. I’ll see you around?” Yoohyeon begins to walk backwards as she speaks in rapid fire. Gahyeon just nods and shoos the older girl away with a broad smile.

\--

As it turns out, Gahyeon returned to Korea years ago because she missed home and wanted to finish high school and start college here. As for why her mom is with her… the family had a fallout… to put it nicely. Their parents fought over a lot of things regarding the company and as a result, Gahyeon and Minji were forced to choose between them. Mr. and Mrs. Kim never officially divorced but they did mutually separate. Gahyeon and her mom came back to Korea with a little money so they stayed in the countryside with the grandparents from her mom’s side until they could get back on their feet.

“Wait so, you’re saying that you haven’t seen Minji or your dad in...6 years?”

Gahyeon deflated a bit and stirred her milkshake. “7, actually. The company having troubles really tore the family apart. I haven’t seen or heard any news of Minji unnie or dad.”

It was odd. To Yoohyeon, Minji was communicating just fine with her up until 5 years ago. But according to Gahyeon, this whole situation started close to when they moved to Japan. And yet, Minji never made any mention Gahyeon coming back to Korea. So, Yoohyeon tells Gahyeon just that. 

“...I don’t know what to make of that,” Gahyeon says, “But what I do know is that Minji unnie cut off all contact with us. Mom also doesn’t know how to contact her and the one time she went to Japan to find her, dad prevented her from doing so.” 

“...I see.” Yoohyeon did not see anything. It felt all wrong. But she guesses after trying for so long and not being able to find Minji, Gahyeon and her mom gave up. Minji did make her choice to stay with her dad so there was that. 

“Well enough of that! Now that you’re back, we can hang out with a couple of my friends and show you around the city. There’s plenty of fun things to do now.” Yoohyeon said enthusiastically. She just knows that Gahyeon would have tons of fun with her group of friends. 

\--

It isn’t until another 4 years until Yoohyeon gets another surprise in her life. 

She’s on her way to a conference room in some fancy hotel for her presentation. She’s now a PhD candidate in nanotechnology. Her research partner and long time friend, Yoobin, was beside her, preparing their technology for display. Lots of big companies are going to show up to possibly invest in the most innovative project. Yoohyeon knows that she and Yoobin are going to kill the competition with what they’ve been researching. It would be a huge breakthrough for many fields if they manage to complete it. 

Yoobin’s phone chimes with messages from their friends, supporting them. Yoohyeon looks at her phone to read a few:

_ You’re going to do great, girls! - Handong _

_ Destroy everyone and wipe the floors with their tears mwahahaha >:) -Bora _

_...what the crazy lady above said but with more fire involved - Siyeon _

_ Unnies ignore Bora unnie and Siyeon unnie. Dongie unnie is the only sane one here. But you guys will do great and hopefully next year, i’ll be able to join you nerds :D - Gahyeon _

Yoohyeon hears Yoobin’s deep chuckle next to her and locks her phone. “Showtime Yoob. We’ve got this.”

“Yeah, as always, dork. Person who stutters the most pays for dinner?”

The taller girl takes a deep breath and nods. She reaches over to bump fists with Yoobin and walks up the main stage. 

She doesn’t notice at first. There were too many lights, too many cameras, too many people to have noticed. But when she exits the stage after her show stopping presentation, she thinks she sees a familiar face. But there were too many people moving past her view for her to get a closer look. By the time the path had cleared, the face was gone. 

Yoohyeon chalked it up to her imagination. It couldn’t have been her right? It’s been years since she last spared a thought about her childhood friend. News about the Kim Corporation only revolved around stocks and company buyouts. The only time it wasn’t was when it was announced that Minji was the new CEO at the tender age of 20. Even then, there was practically no news about her at all. Not even a single picture. It was all very secretive.

Unfortunately for Yoohyeon, she will be the one to stay for the demonstration station in the hall. Yoobin had another presentation to catch after this one so Yoohyeon was left alone. While she did want to market her research and develop it even further, she was not very keen on speaking to people. Well, that was a very nice way of putting it. Yoohyeon was downright socially awkward. And nerdy. And maybe a loser. 

(Yoohyeon would like to contest that last one.)

“Would you mind explaining more about your research?” a soft voice catches her attention. Looking up from her display, Yoohyeon’s breath is caught in her throat. 

There, in all her black-haired glory, is her childhood best friend, Kim Minji. She was even more beautiful than Yoohyeon had imagined her to be. She was also pretty tall but Yoohyeon towered over her by a few centimeters. And don’t get Yoohyeon started on her face. She was always a sucker for pretty girls but Minji really takes the cake. 

“Minji...” Yoohyeon still couldn’t believe it. She probably stood there gaping like a fish but she couldn’t help it. Minji tilted her head to the side at Yoohyeon’s odd behavior. 

After a long staring contest between the two of them, Minji breaks out into a small smile. “Hi Yoohyeon. It’s been a long time.” Yoohyeon perks up and runs to hug the older girl tight. She’d missed her, even if she denied it all these years. Arms come up to pat her on the back.

Pulling away, Minji lifts her head to get a better look at Yoohyeon. “You’ve gotten taller than me, Yoohyeon.” The older girl pulls away completely and beckons Yoohyeon to her display. That soft look in Minji’s eyes dissipate so quickly that Yoohyeon got whiplash from the change. Gone was the warmth and replaced by a matured, cold look that only a CEO of her caliber could express. Other professionals were interested in what CEO Kim Minji was looking at, attracting a larger crowd. It made Yoohyeon nervous but she did her best to present her research.

By the end of it, Minji was gone. Yoohyeon hadn’t even noticed that she disappeared, too engaged with her work. Several investors and researchers were praising her work and wanted to fund it so it all worked out in the end. 

A moderator approached her at the end of the event, handing her an envelope. The contents were quite simple: Kim corporation would like to fully invest in her nanotechnology. Yoohyeon knew that it had to be Minji’s doing.

Yoohyeon’s eyes bulged at the hefty amount offered to them as a preliminary amount. With funding like this, Yoohyeon and Yoobin would be able to provide a greater product and more. It was a researcher’s dream come true. They would finally be able to put time into medical research and potentially save lives. 

To say that Yoohyeon was excited would be an understatement. And she had Minji to thank for this opportunity.

\--

Yoobin opened the door to the new lab they were going to be working in. A woman from Kim Corporation led them on a tour of all the facilities that will be offered to them for their time with the company. There was even a personal gym that they could use on their free time. 

But even better were the state of the art lab equipment provided to them. Minji had sent her an email asking what types of machines she would like to work with. Yoohyeon had named a few that she thought would advance the research but she never imagined that Minji would go and buy all of them. She really had to see the older girl and thank her one of these days.

“Excuse me, but, I was wondering if you know how I can get into contact with Minji.” Yoohyeon asks the woman after the tour was over. The woman seemed shocked that Yoohyeon was referring to the CEO by her first name. 

Flustered, the woman stammers out a reply, “A-ah, yes. I can give you Miss Kim’s office number or you can visit her office at this address. If there is anything else you need, you may call me at the front desk and I will handle everything.”

After the woman left, Yoobin lets out a low whistle. “When you told me that we got the offer of a lifetime, you really meant it.”

“Yup.” Yoohyeon says, popping the ‘p’, “Definitely didn’t expect to see Minji here.”

“She was your childhood friend right? The one you had a crush on?” Yoobin teases. Yoohyeon whines and tries to flick Yoobin on the forehead, only to miss miserably. 

“I was 13 okay?! Minji was the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. What was I supposed to do, say she’s ugly?” The taller girl sulks in her office chair. The chair was extra comfy and had wheels on them so she started to spin around in it. Yoobin sighed at her same-aged friend. 

“Well, since she’s back, you have the chance to reconnect with her. Aren’t you happy?” Yoobin tilts her head to the side. Yoohyeon looks up at her friend with an apprehensive look in her eyes.

“....It would be nice to do that. But Minji has changed and I’m not sure if it’s for the best...” Yoobin sighs again and as she is about to open her mouth to reply, her phone goes off. She checks her messages and turns off her phone again.

“...Come on. The others are waiting for their free lunch.” Yoobin motions Yoohyeon to get up from her chair. “And Yooh, since when were you the type to give up? Just be your annoying self and I’m sure Kim Minji will open up to you again.”

A last indignant  _ hey!  _ echoed through the halls of the laboratory. 

\--

Yoobin and Yoohyeon enter the apartment where their friends are waiting. The taller girl tries her best to stifle her giggles when she sees Yoobin’s eyes light up at a certain chinese girl. Handong was sitting at the edge of the table in her wheelchair, smiling at them both. 

“Hey, love.” Yoobin leans down and gives her a kiss on the lips as greeting, ignoring her loud friends (Siyeon and Bora). Handong caresses her cheek for a few seconds before letting go. Yoobin sits adjacent from her and holds her hand as they place an order for takeout food. 

“Had a good first day of work?” Handong asks quietly, with her head on Yoobin’s shoulder. 

“Not bad. I think we’re really going to be able to make a difference, Dongie.” Yoobin spoke quietly but Handong could hear the excitement in her tone. It made her smile. The younger girl often hid what she felt, an instinct she developed when she was younger. But nowadays, with Handong and their friends, Yoobin was opening up more easily. 

“I’m happy for you, Yoobinie.” The chinese takes the hand in hers and gives it a kiss. Yoobin simply leans her head on Handong’s, content. “Yeah, one day, I’ll be able to get you out of this wheelchair. I promise.”

Handong wanted to tell Yoobin that she didn’t need to promise her that since having the younger girl was enough to make her happy. But she knew that her disability served as motivation for Yoobin to always do better in her research. So she kept quiet, planting a soft kiss to a fluffy cheek and hugging the short-haired girl closer. 

Their hug was interrupted by their ranconcous friends wanting to play monopoly while they waited for food to come. Yoobin heaved a heavy sigh while Handong smiled in amusement. Whenever they played this game, it always ended in disaster. 

(Yoohyeon would know. She’d lost last time and had to run around the neighborhood in her bikini while promoting Loona at 3am. The poor girl caught a cold and had a hangover the next day.)

Siyeon and Bora were already plotting the punishment for the loser, if their mischievous expressions were anything to go by. But this time, it was going to be their best one yet…

\--

“You guys are such cheaters...” Yoohyeon grumbled when she walked into the lab the next morning. She went in for a bear hug but was stopped by Yoobin’s outstretched arms. The big puppy pouted and sat down in her chair. 

The short-haired girl handed her friend a cup of water and hangover medicine. “Not my fault you suck at monopoly.” she said simply. Yoohyeon groaned and kicked out her legs in frustration.

She should have known something was up yesterday. The game of monopoly started out like it always did, with her in the lead and swimming in her fake money. But then things started turning weird when only she was taking losses in rent and mortgage. Then it dawned on the blonde that Siyeon, Bora, Gahyeon, and even Yoobin were teaming up against her to make her lose. Yoohyeon didn't even know it was possible to team up like that in monopoly. 

So Yoohyeon did what anyone in that situation would do: Flip the monopoly board over and call shenanigans.

( “You guys cheated!” Yoohyeon stood up and pointed her finger at the plotting friends. All of them, even the kind soul that was Handong was laughing. 

“Sorry Yooh, but none of us cheated. We did everything by the book, it just so happens that you landed in every trap we set.” Siyeon explained while leaning on Bora. What the black-haired girl failed to mention was that she placed a magnet inside the dice and controlled the value when it was Yoohyeon’s turn. Not that she was ever going to tell her, of course. 

Yoohyeon whined as she leaned her head on Handong’s legs. The Chinese girl patted the whiny girl on the head as she tried to stifle her giggles. The other half of DaDong was too busy laughing her ass off at the sorry state Yoohyeon was in. Usually, the quiet scientist wouldn’t behave like this but a few drinks and goading from her friends loosened up her mind. 

The origin of all evil AKA Bora, stood up and announced in a very loud volume, “Yoohyeon! Your punishment for losing at monopoly and being a loser in general is to get into contact with Minji and get laid!” Yoohyeon’s face exploded in red as she tried to get Bora to shut her mouth. The two fell over in their mock fight, with the smaller but older girl laughing like there was no tomorrow.

Gahyeon grimaced, “EW that’s my sister you’re talking about! I wanted Yoohyeon to woman up and talk to her, not make babies with her!” 

“Eh, the conclusion is the same anyways. No problem, no problem.” Siyeon said sagely as she watched her tallest friend put her hypewoman into a choke-hold.

“How is that the same thing?!” )

“Ugh I literally hate you guysssss…..” The tall blonde face-planted against her table, not caring that a red mark was forming on her forehead.

“Instead of sulking, you should figure out how to get into contact with Kim Minji.”

“But how?!” her head shot up from the desk, “She’s probably super busy and doesn’t have time to catch up with me.”

Yoobin was unimpressed. “You’ll figure it out. Now quit whining and help me run the data. There’s something I want to test.”

Yoohyeon grumbled out a  _ you’re no help  _ before straightening out and getting her thinking cap on. It was time to make a difference.

\--

The door jingles, signaling a customer at this late time. Yoohyeon was yawning and about to fall asleep from this boring shift at the cafe. The customer approaches the cash register as Yoohyeon tries to get her bearings together. 

“How can I help you - Minji?!” The black-haired girl smiled softly. She was wearing round specs and a dark trench coat. 

“Hi Yoohyeon. I’d like an espresso please.” Yoohyeon rang her up and told her to sit down while her order was being prepared. The older woman took a seat right at the counter where Yoohyeon was operating the coffee machine. To say she was nervous was an understatement. 

This was her chance to talk to Minji. It was nearly 11pm and no one was in the vicinity.

Her thoughts were broken by a voice, “Yoohyeon? Why are you working here? Is the lab not paying well?” The taller girl quickly finished the latte art and placed in front of Minji. She shook her head so fast that Minji worried that her head might come off. 

“N-no! Everything’s alright, financially. I’m covering for a friend, that’s all.” Came Yoohyeon’s panicked reply. The last thing she needed was for Minji to think she was ungrateful for her (Kim Corporation’s) funding.

“I see.” Minji hummed while sipping her coffee. “I have to say, you make pretty good coffee though.” 

Yoohyeon could feel a blush rising at the thought of Minji liking her coffee. Rubbing the back of her neck shyly, “I used to work here with my friend, she owns this cafe. College wasn’t cheap. Still isn’t but things are better now that I can finally continue with my research.”

Feeling a little brave, Yoohyeon goes on to tell Minji that it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Minji literally turned her life around. 

“Your research is very interesting. Nanotechnology is not something to be taken lightly. The applications are endless.”

“Yeah but many people either wanted us to research applications such as weaponry or they were too afraid of how radical the technology is. The risk was too high so Yoobin, my partner in crime, and I, were hesitant on how to pick a sponsor.”

Minji was intrigued. Yoohyeon was a stuttering mess and overall very clumsy (just as she remembered her to be) but when she was talking about her passion, she seemed like a completely different person. In a good way. 

“Why didn't you take their suggestions or drop the project altogether?”

Yoohyeon’s eyes took a sharp quality about them at that question. “No way. I don’t want my research to go into hurting people. Yoobin was the one to narrow down our application to prosthetics because her girlfriend, who is also the owner of this cafe, was paralyzed a few years ago. I also want to help my friend but more importantly, I want to make this technology widely available.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want to be able to help people who can’t afford prosthetics. It may be a pipe dream but it’s my hope for the future.” Minji felt something beating in her chest as she watched Yoohyeon speak. There was a faraway look in the younger girl’s eyes. “But I still have to make the tech a reality. Easier said than done though.” Yoohyeon sheepishly scratches the back of her neck. 

The atmosphere went back to casual as the two chatted the night away. It ended with Yoohyeon receiving Minji’s personal number and a promise of hanging out on a day off. Yoohyeon was so going to rub this in her friends’ faces.

\-- 

Before anyone knew it, 2 years had already passed. Yoohyeon and Yoobin made a serious breakthrough and now they were prepared to present their first prototype. Ever since that night in the cafe, Yoohyeon and Minji have been texting and hanging out, reconnecting with each other. Of course, Minji was a busy CEO so that only allowed them to meet late at night or whenever time was afforded to them. Their friends definitely teased Yoohyeon about Minji several times when she was caught smiling at her phone while texting the said girl. 

(“Guys, Yoohyeon is smiling like a creep again!” Gahyeon tattled to everyone else. Yoohyeon shot up from the couch to shut Gahyeon up but it was too late. The damage had been done. Bora, the origin of all evil and her evil assistant, Siyeon, came rushing over to tease the hell out of her. 

She was only saved by the ringing of the doorbell. Her savior was none other than Minji herself, carrying bags of food for their party. It was to celebrate Handong’s birthday and for the breakthrough of the project. 

That night, amidst the chaos of the party, Yoohyeon was happy to see Minji smiling and laughing with her friends. They all got along well and Gahyeon definitely cried at being able to hug her older sister, no matter how much she’d deny it.) 

Yoohyeon was glad though. Because for all the hardness that Minji displays while at work, there were definitely glimpses of the Minji she remembered. It was in the way she would laugh softly at one of Yoohyeon’s lame jokes or the way she listened attentively when Yoohyeon was at an impasse in her research. So it was inevitable that she would fall for Minji again. That she looked forward to seeing the older girl no matter how late it was. That she loved hearing her soothing voice.

(That her universe was once again revolving around Minji. Like it just resumed from a long pause from when she was 13.)

And she felt that Minji felt the same way about her. Minji would often hold her hand or kiss the back of it, much to Yoohyeon’s embarrassment. Lately, she would drop Yoohyeon off at her house with a kiss on the cheek. 

But Yoohyeon also knew that Minji was holding herself back for some reason. Now, Yoobin would say that Yoohyeon was a total brick when it came to relationships. Like that one time when a girl was genuinely interested in Yoohyeon. 

( “I thought she was just being friendly!”

“Friendly girls don’t go out of their way to give you some cheesecake and kiss you on the cheek with a cheesy one-liner, Yooh.”

“B-but!”

Yoobin would not let her live that one down.)

But this time, Yoohyeon thought that she was being pretty obvious - that they were progressing at a natural pace. But when Minji still hadn’t made a move and Yoohyeon would attempt to confess, the black-haired girl would interrupt.

With a finger to her lips, Minji silenced Yoohyeon with a sad smile. “I’m sorry, Yooh...” Yoohyeon was thoroughly confused. Was she being led on? The doubt springing in her mind said yes but the pain in Minji’s eyes when she prevented her from confessing said no. 

The stars continued to twinkle despite Yoohyeon’s apparent confusion. Minji tore her eyes away, afraid that the blonde girl would see something that she wanted to keep hidden. Yoohyeon didn’t receive her usual goodnight kiss and a feeling of unease grew in her stomach. 

\--

Minji took a deep breath when she sat back inside her luxury SUV. When she thought about how happy Yoohyeon looked to be able to do what she wanted, it made her chest ache. She didn't even think it was possible for another person to make her feel this way.

And Yoohyeon’s dream...it was beautiful. Too beautiful, in fact, for someone like Minji to be gazing upon…

She slams her hand against the steering wheel to knock herself out of her reverie. Someone as wretched as her should not even gaze upon someone as beautiful as Yoohyeon.

After all, Kim Minji represented everything that Kim Yoohyeon stood against.

“I’m sorry Yoohyeon...you put your trust in the wrong person.”

\--

Everything came crashing down at some point. Maybe Minji had been trying to tell her something by indirectly rejecting her but Yoohyeon was too blind to see it. Worst of all, Minji didn't even have the guts to tell her herself. Yoohyeon and Yoobin had to find out through the news outlets. That their prosthetic nanotechnology was going to be completely privatized. Only the rich would be able to afford such technology that could change lives. Even worse, the medical companies that were associated with Kim Corporation followed in their lead, making it even harder to afford medical equipment.

Yoohyeon felt the betrayal in her blood as she watched the news headline flash by on the tv screen. CEO Kim Minji was as cool as a cucumber as she walked away from the shouts of the reporters below. The project had gained traction among the public over the past two years and many were hoping that Kim Minji would run the company differently than her tyrant father. 

Yoobin was clenching her fists so hard that they turned white. Handong did her best to calm her but even she was shocked. The short-haired girl turned to her best friend, ready to blame her for this situation but her words died on her tongue when she saw how devastated Yoohyeon was. The blonde had her body curled in like someone was scolding her and her hands were trembling too. If Yoobin felt like getting stabbed in the back, then Yoohyeon must’ve felt like being stabbed in the heart multiple times. 

It was one thing to be deceived by a friend but it was another by the person she was in love with. The only saving grace in all of this was that Yoohyeon’s and Yoobin’s names were kept private, as per their contract, so they wouldn’t feel any of the public backlash. But on the other hand, it meant that unless Yoobin coughed up at least 500 million dollars, she would not be able to acquire the technology for Handong’s legs. 

“I’m-I’m s-so sorry...” Yoobin was quick to pull her friend into her lap and hugged her as tightly as possible. Their other friends hugged the heartbroken girl as well, feeling the pain of hearing her cries. They reassured her that it wasn’t her fault. But they knew that she blamed herself. 

After all, how was this any different from the way Kim Minji’s father took advantage of researchers for the benefit of his wealth? 

\--

It was pathetic really, the way she came to reunite with her mother. Minji was strolling aimlessly through some neighborhood park after drinking her soul out. Maybe walking alone while drunk at night wasn’t the best idea but Minji was having the worst time of her life. Her hoodie obscured her face from prying eyes but that didn't stop her from flinching at sounds in the park. After all, she wasn’t exactly the most beloved person right now.

The drunk CEO finally came crashing down in front of the swings she remembered as a child. Things were so much simpler back then. Minji’s family was together and she didn't have to worry about being Kim Corp’s heiress. As she stared up at the night sky, she wondered when did everything start to go wrong. 

Was it starting from her father?

From herself for choosing to stay with her father?

From breaking Yoohyeon’s heart, making her no different from her father?

The only silver lining in all this chaos was that Yoohyeon and Yoobin were guaranteed to be unaffected on a public level. Her father would never set his eyes on them ever again. To him, they were just used up business assets. To him, Minji was just an extension of his wealth, his will. She stopped being his daughter when she ascended an unwanted throne. Her personal universe had no place in his plans. And so it was sucked into a black hole, never to be seen again. Instead, Minji was sucked into his orbit, unable to escape his gravitational pull.

Minji looked up at the swings again, remembering the time Gahyeon had fallen off and her mother rushed to care for her scrapes. At least Gahyeon and her mother were far away from that man. She was glad that her younger sister was able to grow up in a loving environment, if her affectionate nature with her friends were anything to go by. 

She was sure her mother was happier too. Speaking of her mother, when was the last time she ever saw her face? Tasted her cooking? Hugged her when she needed comfort? Minji wonders if her mother even thinks about her anymore. Or if she hates her now after seeing what Minji did to Yoohyeon. 

For some reason, the memory of her mom making her favorite beef and kimchi stew came to mind. The sights and smells of that memory often stuck in her mind when she was having a hard time. Right now was definitely one of those times. She hadn’t even noticed a tear slipping through until it was dripping down her ear. Placing a hand over her eyes to stop the tears from coming did nothing. If anything, it only made her want to cry more.

( “How’s my little rose doing today?”

“Great mom! Are you making my favorite stew?!”

Her mother’s laughter rang in her ears like a familiar melody. “Yup so go get yourself and your sister cleaned up. Dinner will be ready shortly.” )

Tears were flowing with the occasional hiccup, breaking the silence. Her drunken state and covered eyes prevented her from hearing someone approach. But then that person gently pulled away her hand covering her eyes. 

The matured face of her baby sister entered her blurred vision. As soon as Gahyeon tried to assist Minji in sitting up, Minji latched onto her like a leech. Gahyeon’s natural scent calmed Minji for a bit but at the same time, it made her even sadder. Gahyeon was rubbing her older sister’s back as she cried into her hoodie. She was clearly drunk but that didn't stop the worry at seeing her strong older sister crying in the park in the middle of the night. 

As she clenched the back of her hoodie like a lifeline, Gahyeon heard the most heartbreaking words from Minji: “Please, Gahyeon… I….I want to g-go h-home….please. Help me go home...” So she gathered her older sister in her arms, the same way Minji used to do for her when they were younger, and headed home. 

Her mom was definitely shocked to see Minji in Gahyeon’s arms. But her heart ached to see the tear tracks on Minji’s face and the overall miserable state her firstborn was in. Both mother and daughter lay her down in the guest bedroom and cleaned up her face as she slept. 

“Go to sleep Gahyeonie. You have an early class tomorrow. I’ll take care of Minji.”

Minji was restless as she slept, kicking and tossing around. Her mom placed a gentle hand on her head, caressing her hair. Immediately, Minji stopped thrashing about but instead, she began to cry softly. Her hand twitched every so often and the tears continued to flow. Her mumblings were mostly intelligible but her mom knew that she was in deep pain. For now, all she could do for the child she hadn’t seen in many years is hold her hand at her bedside.

\--

When Minji awoke hours later in her old bedroom, her first thought was to run away. But when her mom held her face and called her little rose, all Minji could do was cry like she was 6 years old again. When everything was happier and her biggest worries were about getting scrapes on the playground. 

The tears wouldn’t stop no matter how much Minji willed it. Being close to her mom again and hearing her voice was enough to break past the emotional barrier Minji built over the last few years. Her mom pulled her into a tight embrace but the black-haired girl pulled herself out of it before she lost her composure completely.

Wiping at her face and erasing all traces of emotion, Minji speaks, “I apologize for the trouble I caused while inebriated. I will compensate you and Gahyeon if necessary.” She stood up, emotionless and made for the door. 

“Minji” Her mother’s soft voice made her stop in her tracks. “Minji, you’re safe here. You don’t need to act the way you do around your father.” Minji’s shoulders slumped as if the air was sucked out of her. But she straightened up again and walked away without a word. This place, this home, was not hers to intrude on. She had no place, no right to be here.

\--

Minji spent the next few days wandering aimlessly. She took a long vacation from working to avoid questions about her decision and to get away from that environment altogether. Of course, her father wasn’t happy but he wasn’t physically here to do something about it. 

With glasses, casual clothes, and a mask, Minji was basically unbothered wherever she went. Cat cafes were her favorite pastime since these cats never judged her. They only cared about food, water, and comfort. 

Today, she sat in the far corner of the cafe with her drink high up on a table and an orange tabby on her lap. This tabby named Cheese, always seemed to like her when she visited. He’d wait for a snack from her and when he ate it, he was content to rest in her lap for the duration of her stay. Her hand absently stroked his soft fur as her mind wandered off. 

As her mind wandered, she didn't realize that she pulled on Cheese’s tail a bit too hard. Scowling in a way only cats could, he jumped off her lap and went to another patron that had snacks. This time, he settled in another girl’s lap even though she didn't feed him anything. 

“Traitor.” Minji said aloud. Cheese glanced over to her as if to say  _ so what _ . The CEO scoffed behind her mask and crossed her arms. The other girl suddenly looked up from Cheese and made eye contact with Minji. 

Minji’s eyes widened in surprise. Yoohyeon. She prayed that her disguise would work but when the recognition passed through Yoohyeon’s bright eyes, she knew that she was found out. So she ran. She ran away from the person she cared for and hurt the most. It wasn’t fair to Yoohyeon, Minji thought to herself. The younger girl deserved an explanation but Minji couldn’t do that. Not yet. Not until the dust settles. 

Had Minji looked back, she would have seen Yoohyeon’s worried gaze following her. 

\--

Yoohyeon was normally a kind girl. She forgave Yoobin for burning her hair once in chemistry class. She forgave Handong for running over her foot with her wheelchair (though that really was an accident. Handong would never hurt a fly). She forgave Siyeon for telling Bora about her crushes on girls and the ensuing chaos. She forgave Gahyeon for being cuter than her.

So yes, Yoohyeon was normally a kind girl that doesn’t hold grudges. But for Minji, she could not let this go.

“You’re probably disappointed that she isn’t what you remember her to be.” Siyeon stated. The blue-haired girl took a sip of her beer and stretched out on the vendera. “Maybe you’ve only been in love with the girl she used to be. But now that she isn’t, you’re disappointed.”

“What?”

“You know,” Siyeon waves her hands around in a vague motion. “You were in love with the idea of her. Probably even more so because you’re a romantic at heart. Kim Minji was your childhood friend that you haven’t seen in years. Cliche but yeah.”

Yoohyeon looked down and contemplated what her friend told her. Maybe Siyeon was right (for once), maybe she was just in love with the romanticism of falling in love with her childhood best friend again. Still, that didn't mean that she didn't find the current Minji attractive in their time spent together. Then she thought back to this afternoon where she saw Minji in the cat cafe. The older girl looked like absolute shit. On top of that, Gahyeon told the group what happened last weekend with her sister. 

Was Minji just...pretending to be okay? Has she been doing that from the start? Yoohyeon voiced these questions out loud. 

“Well, if I were in her shoes, I would probably have to do a lot of pretending too. Her company and her father probably put a lot of pressure on her. I hear it’s pretty common for people in power to have a change in personality due to the stress of working.”

“Do...do you think I-that I was one of those people pressuring her?” Yoohyeon hoped not. It was never her intention to hurt Minji but maybe she was doing it unconsciously. Like how she would like it more when she saw glimpses of young Minji more than when she saw current Minji. 

“Maybe. But don’t think to hard on that. Eyes have probably always been on her since she is the heir to a huge company. Chances are, she’s become so used to all these gazes that she just pretends even when she doesn’t need to.”

“Or maybe, she just doesn’t know  _ how _ to stop pretending anymore.” 

Silence took over the conversation. For a while, the two friends just enjoyed the night breeze. “Hey Singnie?”

“Yeah?”

“That was pretty wise of you. Didn’t know you had it in you.”

“Thanks. I saw it on a TV show.”

\--

Yoohyeon’s phone chimed at the end of her class session. Her students were asking her last minute questions before the exam so she neglected to check for a while. But when the last student filed out, she picked up her phone. It was something she had never expected to see. 

Minji messaged her to meet in front of her apartment later tonight. 

Her throat went dry and her hands were slightly trembling. What was she supposed to do? Several weeks had passed since that incident and only now was the older girl making direct contact with her? Was this some sort of sick joke that rich people enjoy? Yoohyeon’s mind and heart were a mess. Just when she decided to forget about Minji, the girl decides to come tumbling back into her life as she pleased. 

But Yoohyeon was tired of all of this. At first, she followed the news about Kim Corporation and about Minji, hoping to find answers, closure for herself. But the more she did, the more confusing everything became. Maybe this time will be different, Yoohyeon thought.

The message itself was simple and to the point. But Yoohyeon couldn't shake the feeling of dread. Something big was about to happen or was already happening, and she could do nothing but be sucked into the orbit.

\--

Her friends were all standing in front of her apartment when she got home. They were blocking her view of someone standing there. 

“Yoohyeon!” Handong exclaimed and grabbed her arm. “Please tell the others to calm down.” Yoohyeon was confused by Handong’s urgent tone until she heard Yoobin aggressively slam a person on the opposite wall. 

“Yoob!” The tallest girl runs to hold her friend back but when she makes eye contact with Kim Minji, she pauses in her movements. “You...you came.”

“Yeah. I said I would.”

Bora, Siyeon, Handong, and Gahyeon look back and forth between the two, trying to connect the dots. Yoobin’s grip on Minji’s collar loosened a fraction as well. The blonde grips Yoobin’s hands and gently eases them off of Minji. “Guys, there’s something I need to talk to Minji about.”

“Were you the one that called her here?” Yoobin asks accusingly. 

“No. I came here on my own. Yoohyeon and I need to talk. Privately. Then I will leave right after.” Minji straightens out her wrinkled clothes and stands straight. She watches as Yoohyeon gives the puppy eyes to her friends to let them talk alone. They seem reluctant but relent to her request. 

After watching them file into her apartment, Yoohyeon turns around to get a look at the older girl. She didn't think it was possible, but the CEO looks even more haggard than before. “So? What are you here for?”

Minji winced internally at Yoohyeon’s cold tone. But she knew that she deserved it. Yoohyeon may be kind but Minji was the one to betray her trust. Steeling herself, she pulls out a letter from her coat pocket. 

“I just wanted to give this to you. What you do with it is up to you.” Minji extends the letter to Yoohyeon. The blonde glances at it suspiciously. 

“Why didn't you just mail it to me or put it in my mailbox?” Yoohyeon observes Minji’s crestfallen expression. Her eyes were mostly empty but there were signs of another emotion that Yoohyeon couldn't put her finger on. Whatever it was, it made her worried for Minji’s mental state. 

“I just...wanted to be selfish. Just for a little while.” Minji’s lips raise a bit in a half-crooked smile. It was meant to be reassuring in Minji’s mind but to Yoohyeon, it just broke her heart to see Minji look so...defeated. 

She extends the letter once again, urging Yoohyeon to take it. This time, Yoohyeon does take it albeit hesitatingly. Minji stares at Yoohyeon for a few more seconds, trying to engrave the other girl’s face in her memory. Without another word, the black-haired girl dips her head in apology and walks away. Yoohyeon could neither say nor do anything in response. Her feet were rooted in place. Belatedly, she realizes that Minji didn't explain a single thing. She only left her with more questions than answers. 


	2. Minji's Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minji's handwritten letter to Yoohyeon

Dear Yoohyeon,

By the time you read this letter, I will have already been outed by Kim Corporation’s board of investors. It may not matter much to you but it has a role in why I did what I did. 

I guess I’ll start from the beginning. My father started showing signs of mental instability ever since the company took a hit. It broke our family apart, which I’m sure you already know. But I couldn’t leave him alone even though I knew it wouldn’t be good for me either. He’s my father you know? When I look at him, I remember our childhood where he taught both of us how to ride a bike. Or that time he built us a treehouse because we wanted to play house. I was all he had left to his legacy with the company so I couldn’t just abandon him. He got a lot worse over time and the doctors diagnosed him with severe addiction to wine. So I took over the company when he started changing for the worse. He never hurt me physically, thankfully. But he became obsessive and controlling, even when I was CEO. I was simply a puppet to his will. 

I kept going though. He didn't have much time left so I tried my best to be a good daughter up until his death. But it was difficult when I had to endure his harsh words everyday. I was tired and alone. And I missed mom and Gahyeon dearly. So I came up with a plan to escape his grasp. I felt like if I didn't try, I would never get to  _ decide how to live or how to die _ . He would never cut my strings willingly so I had to figure out a way to make it inevitable. He loved this company more than his own children, that I am sure of. I used that to my advantage. I picked up several projects that seemed promising in order to use the most successful one to plan my escape. 

Please believe me when I say this: I never intended to use you or your dreams for such a selfish reason. But when I got to know you again, when I saw that you hadn’t changed a bit since we were kids, it gave me hope. And I wanted to do the same for you and your wonderful friends. I was able to endure a little more, for you, I think. Your project would be well funded with my father’s money and you even managed to break through in such a short time! I am proud of you. I truly am. With the success of the prototype and the marketing boost from the company, it became a hot topic among the public. The support was overwhelmingly positive so I knew that if I took that away, the backlash would be unrecoverable. It was my chance and I took it. 

The rest you already know. I spent the next few days after doing everything I could to turn public opinion against me. And it worked, Yoohyeon. It worked. The board of investors voted to kick me out and my father could not say anything in light of everything. 

As for this key, the address on the back of this letter is to my apartment. Don't worry, the company is not aware of this house. In there, you will find all of your research data as well as the prototype for Handong and Yoobin. Only one went into production and I’ve ensured that no one else has the plans and research to reproduce it. The patent certificate is also there too.

I know none of this was fair to you or Yoobin and I am sorry. All of this was for a selfish wish of one wretched girl. You have every right to hate me. And I hope that you find it in you to never forgive me. Because I know you, Yooh. You’re probably going to forgive me if I beg you. You have a kind soul; the kindest and gentlest heart I know. Meeting you again was a blessing in the abyss. 

As for me, I don’t know where I will go or what I’ll do after this. I just hope that somewhere down the road, I’ll be a better person from today. And who knows, maybe the universe will bring us back together. If it does, I hope that the Kim Minji you see before you is a person that understands how to live.

Thank you, Yoohyeon. For coming into my life.

From a wandering soul, 

Kim Minji


	3. Stardust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the rushed ending. I kind of crashed towards the end xD BUT I will be publishing a new story for dreamcatcher that is a longer series and deals with fantasy elements so look forward to it!

“Yoohyeon, are you sure this is a good idea?” Minji questions apprehensively. The taller girl turns around to grin at Minji. 

“Yep! Personally, I’ve never done it myself but Yoobin and Bora tells me it’s tons of fun!” The blonde was giddy with joy that Minji didn't have the heart to say no. They enter a large store with tons of wall easels and buckets of paint. Interestingly, there were also other toys such as water guns, brushes, and balloons. Yoohyeon walks up to the counter to tell the cashier of her reservation and hands her credit card over. Minji raises her hand to give hers instead but Yoohyeon is quick enough to catch her hand in hers. 

“Hey, I’ll pay for this date, okay? You can pay for the next one.” Yoohyeon says smoothly. Minji would have swoon at that if she didn't see how quickly Yoohyeon’s ears were reddening. It was cute of the younger girl and it was nice to know that she didn't expect Minji to pay for things just because she is rich. 

The black-haired girl’s lips lift up in a teasing smile, “Oh? We’re going to have more than one date? Why, Yoohyeon, I didn't know you were so confident that I would want to see you again.” Yoohyeon gives the biggest puppy pout that she can muster as Minji bursts out laughing. 

The staff returns to hand them a key to a private room and shows them the way. Once left inside the room, Minji awkwardly stands around. “So what exactly are we doing here?”

“Stress-relief. I know this week has been pretty hard on both of us so I figured we could do something fun.” the blonde gestures to the huge wall canvas and picks out a big paintbrush. Dipping it in yellow paint, she swings her arm without hesitation, splating a streak of yellow on pristine white. “Let’s try to cover the whole wall Minji!”

Finally understanding what this painting activity was all about, Minji excitedly grabs the water gun and loads it with pink paint. And if Yoohyeon were to accuse her of shooting at her instead of the canvas, Minji would smile innocently while shooting her directly in the stomach. 

After they had their fun, they sat down at a cozy restaurant to have their dinner. It was a small place, only a few tables and patrons but Minji liked it all the same. She noticed that they had constellations lining the ceiling walls and was happily observing them. Across from her, Yoohyeon had a fond smile on her face as she watched Minji. Minji’s beauty really was out of this world and Yoohyeon felt so lucky to have met her again. 

“So, did you have fun today?” Yoohyeon asks as she drums her fingers nervously against the table. Minji turns to her with a blinding smile and an enthusiastic nod. She reaches over to put her hand on the blonde’s nervous ones, stilling her movements. 

“I really did. Thanks for taking me out of the office Yooh.” Minji states softly. Yoohyeon blushes lightly under the older’s gaze but smiles back in return.

“Just like old times right?”

“Yeah.”

\--

Minji didn't want to return home even though it was late so they settled for just walking around the river to pass the time. Yoohyeon was feeling brave at the moment so she reached down to interlace her hand in Minji’s. From the corner of her eye, she could see Minji’s small smile and pink dusting her cheeks. It made her giddy with joy. 

Squeezing the hand in hers, Minji drags Yoohyeon closer to the banks. “You’re not trying to throw me in there are you?” Yoohyeon jokes with a comical expression. Minji laughs and shoves her shoulder jokingly as if to really push the taller into the water. 

“Been a long time since I’ve seen this scenery.” Minji begins, tilting her head back to look at the sky. Sensing Yoohyeon’s confused gaze, the CEO squeezes their joined hands again. “I haven’t been back until now.”

“Why now? What made you decide to come back?” Minji falls silent and Yoohyeon feels like she stepped into territory that she shouldn’t have. Finally, Minji simply shrugs her shoulders, avoiding the question altogether. Yoohyeon wanted to push it, knowing that it had something to do with the changes she’d seen in Minji but relented in the end. She hoped that Minji would trust her enough one day to tell her herself. 

\--

Usually movie night is a crazy affair for the group of friends but since Minji is joining them today, everyone is on their best behavior. At least until Gahyeon tattled on Yoohyeon and got the BoYeon duo on her case. Minji arrives not long after, handing over the stuff she brought for their first get-together. 

Gahyeon makes eye contact with her older sister but makes no movements. The room is tense as the two siblings staring at one another. After a long moment, Minji tilts her head to the side and smiles, “You’ve grown a lot.” she said softly, like it was a secret between them. 

Gahyeon leaps forward to hug her sister like her life depended on it. Minji was surprised at her sudden movement but caught her nonetheless. The two embrace long and hard, taking in the years that they missed with one another. 

“I missed you so much, unnie.” Gahyeon sobs softly into her shoulder. Minji reaches up to pat the back of her head in a soothing motion, imitating the gesture their mother used to do when they were young. 

“Me too, pup.” Their friends let them have this moment, knowing how Gahyeon had freaked out hours earlier about seeing Minji again. “I’m sorry I took so long to come see you again.” The youngest sniffs into her shoulder and shakes her head. Minji hears her mumble something about how it  _ doesn’t matter _ and that  _ you’re here now _ . 

Grinning widely, Minji gestures for Yoohyeon to join in on the hug, prompting the others minus Handong to dogpile the two sisters. Things started getting rowdy again after that but Yoohyeon wouldn’t trade this moment for the world. 

She turns over to the CEO, who is laughing wholeheartedly at something Bora said. “Having fun?”

Minji smiles that happy, squishy smile of hers and leans up to kiss Yoohyeon on the cheek.

“...”

“Minji?” the scenery suddenly started to fade away. Minji’s hand wrapped around hers crumbled like sand. The last thing Yoohyeon saw was Minji’s adoring eyes, frozen in time.

“Minji!”

\--

Yoohyeon woke up with a start, sweat covering her entire body. It was bright outside and Yoohyeon momentarily panics, thinking that she is late for work, but then remembers where she is. The curtains are partially opened, revealing blue skies and sandy waters. Jeju. 

“Yoohyeon?” Siyeon comes out of the restroom with a towel on her head. “Wakey wakey. We’re going to have breakfast and then hit the beach.” Yoohyeon groans, stretching her long body across the bed and then finally rising to wash up. 

They meet the rest of the group downstairs and head towards the breakfast bar. “Dongie and Yoobin aren’t here yet?” Yoohyeon asks, noticing two people missing. 

“Eh, they probably had a wild night. It’s Jeju and all.” Bora responds flippantly while Gahyeon grimaces. She did not need to know that TMI. 

“Actually, you guys are the ones that are late.” A deep voice says from behind them. Siyeon jumps in shock as she turns around to face Yoobin’s smirk. She gestures behind her to show that Handong was already eating a plate of breakfast. The now orange-haired girl waves at them with her fork and cheeks full of food. They walk over to the bar to get their food and settle down at the table. 

“Dongie, can you get me some more orange juice?” Yoobin hands her the empty cup. As soon as Handong leaves the table, the short-haired girl leaned over to whisper urgently to her friends. “Guys, I don’t think I can do this...” Yoobin looks positively nauseous. 

Yoohyeon reaches over to give her long-time friend a pat on the back. “You’ll be fine Yoob. Dongie loves you.”

Siyeon nods from across the table, “Yeah Yoobinie. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“She could say no...” Yoobin says despondently. Bora reaches over to wack Yoobin on the back of her head and Gahyeon face-palms herself. The youngest slaps both hands on Yoobin’s face and makes her look at her square in the eye. 

“She will definitely say yes and you know it. So woman up. Dongie unnie deserves nothing but the best. No chickening out, got it?” Gahyeon gives her a stern look despite being younger. The older girl lets out a small  _ got it _ in between her squished cheeks. Gahyeon nods approvingly and give one more pep slap to her cheeks.

“Did I just see Gahyeon slapping Yoobin’s cheeks?” Yoobin twists around in her seat, her cheeks still red from Gahyeon’s pep talk. This causes Handong to chuckle behind her hand. She reaches over to soothe the afflicted area, squishing Yoobin’s cheeks a little in the process. 

“Uh-well...um...” Yoobin stutters uncharacteristically. Gahyeon huffs in her seat, “Yeah, she just said something dumb so I had to pull her back together.” Siyeon and Bora laugh at the dumbstruck look Yoobin gives Handong. Even Yoohyeon is pulled out of her morning stupor to clown her friend. 

“Alright, alright. Let’s just go to the beach now, okay?” They all agree, after snapping a few photos of Yoobin sulking.

\--

Somehow, they ended up in a secluded part of the beach with a beautiful cove. The cove is overrun with colorful flowers or varying types. It was picturesque and perfect. So perfect that Yoobin found her courage here. She watches a bit as Handong gets ganged up on in a water fight between her and Bora and Siyeon. Naturally, the chaotic duo work together to dunk Handong in the water.

Next to her, Yoohyeon chuckles under the shade of their beach umbrella. “It’s great that Handong has gotten really used to the prosthetics. She’s even more confident about using them in the water than before.”

“Yeah...” Yoohyeon could tell that Yoobin wasn’t really listening, given the way that she is gazing affectionately at her girlfriend. It was cute to see that Yoobin was still so enamoured by Handong as if they had just met for the first time. 

“Yoob?” The tall girl hands her friend a square box. “Go to her.” 

Yoobin didn't need to be told twice. She dashed through the sand to pull a laughing Handong out of the water and into her arms. “Yoobin!” the chinese squealed in surprise. Her legs wrapped around Yoobin’s waist and her arms around her neck. 

Yoobin grins and gives her a quick peck on the lips. “Dongie, there’s something I want to tell you. Will you listen?” Handong nods, a little confused as to why Yoobin had to tell her now over the water. 

“We’ve been together for about 6 years now and everyday is full of happiness. You’ve made me so, so happy that I can’t imagine a future with anyone else but you in it. I know I don’t always express myself well and that caused a few arguments between us. But we’ve resolved them and grown a lot as a couple. You supported my and Yooh’s nerdy tendencies. You take care of Siyeon, Bora, and Gahyeon despite their loudness. You hug me when I’ve had a hard day at work. And I want us to continue to be happy like this, forever, if possible. What I’m trying to say is, will you marry me Dongie?” 

Handong feels tears welling in her eyes at the sincerity and love that she sees in her lover. “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you!” she grabs Yoobin’s cheeks and leans down for a long and sweet kiss. They hear their friends cheering in the background and splashing water everywhere. 

Pulling away from her, Yoobin sets Handong down and opens a square box. The ring is simple and beautifully engraved with intricate roses and diamonds. As expected of a scientist whose specialty is fabrication of nanotechnology. One look at the ring was all Handong needed to see that Yoobin lovingly crafted it herself. Her heart swelled with love and affection for the younger girl. She helped her get back on her feet (literally!) and supported her throughout everything. And now they were going to get married. It was Handong’s dream come true. 

From the shore, Yoohyeon snaps a few photos of her two friends. She’s amazed at how much happiness could be felt from the polaroids and she hopes that they will stay this way for a long time. Maybe she’ll gift these to them as a wedding gift. Her musing is interrupted by a bark. A small, white dog waddles up next to her, wagging its tail. 

“Hey there, cutie. Where did you come from?” Yoohyeon doesn’t see a collar on the dog but it looks well-groomed. However, she’s pretty sure that they are the only ones on this part of the beach. The dog cutely barks again and leaps onto Yoohyeon’s lap to snatch a polaroid out of her hands. It proceeds to run away with its prize between its jaws.

“Wh-hey! That’s mine!” Sand kicks up from behind Yoohyeon. She ignores the calls of her friends to chase after a (cute) picture-napper. The dog runs surprisingly fast despite being small or maybe Yoohyeon is just out of shape. The dog darts between trees and bushes, probably knowing exactly where it is going. The tall girl nearly loses sight of the dog but thankfully, its white fur makes it obvious. In the back of her mind, she is reminded of that goose game that she loved to play just to be an asshole. Guess karma was getting back at her.

Eventually, the dog jumps around to a person crouched down in front of budding flowers. There’s a red watering pail in her hand. The dog yips excitedly pushes the stolen polaroid into the girl’s side. Yoohyeon pushes through the clearing, panting with her hands on her knees. 

“My pola...roid….” Yoohyeon gasps for air, still bent over. The girl turns around and gasps out loud. 

“Yoohyeon?” That voice. It’s a sweet voice that Yoohyeon never forgot even after all this time. Her head shoots up to meet warm brown eyes and bright red hair framing a perfect face. Gods, Minji was breathtaking even with minimal make-up and plain clothes. 

“Yoohyeon?” Minji tries again, “What are you doing here?”

“Uh, what are you doing here?” Yoohyeon fires back. 

Minji tilts her head to the side, “I live here.” she gestures to the wooden house a few meters behind her. The white dog yips again, standing on its two hind legs so that it can stand taller on Minji’s leg. This time, she takes the polaroid out of the dog’s mouth.

“This yours?” Yoohyeon nods quickly and walks over to take it from the older girl. “Sorry about Cherry. She likes to wander off to the beach and bring me back things that catches her eye.” At the mention of her name, Cherry sits on her butt, wagging her tail and looking expectantly at Minji. She sighs in mock exasperation and crouches down. Placing the pail down, she reaches into her right pant pocket for a treat. 

“Yoohyeon, hold out your hand.” the taller girl does as she is told and is handed a dog treat. Minji looks at Cherry like a parent would when scolding their child. “Now Cherry, if you want that treat, you’re going to have to get it from Yoohyeon. But only if she accepts your apology, okay?” Cherry tilts her head cutely and trods over to the girl now holding her reward. 

Yoohyeon crouches down with a smile on her face. The fluffy dog was too cute for her to be mad at. Even if her owner was the last person Yoohyeon thought she’d ever see again. 

(Minji disappeared after handing her the letter. Literally no one could find her, not even her family and not even Kim Corporation.)

But here she was, not even out of the country. Though her hair is red now and her state of dress is nothing like the haughty CEO of Kim Corporation. Cherry nibbles the treat out of Yoohyeon’s hand and runs back to her owner. 

“Um,” Minji starts, uncertain, “Do you know your way back or…?” 

“Oh! Uh, I’d like some assistance, if it isn’t too much trouble. I was chasing Cherry that I didn’t think about where I was going. I was near the cove with the flowers with my friends.”

“Yeah no problem. Cherry is the one who caused you trouble. Let me put my watering can away and I’ll walk you back.” Minji awkwardly fumbles about, rushing to the side of her house to put away the watering can. Her cardigan flows lightly behind her as she moves about.

But that’s when Yoohyeon notices. The left sleeve of Minji’s cardigan is empty.

\--

On their walk through the forest, Yoohyeon isn’t sure how to bring it up. Or if she should even ask at all. Would that be rude or nosy of her? She told herself that Kim Minji will no longer be an important part of her life. So why was it that when Minji reappears in her life, everything revolves around her again? Yoohyeon really had to snap out of it.

“You can ask if you’re really curious. I won’t get offended.” Minji states out of the blue. She’s walking side by side with Yoohyeon but looks straight ahead. Her left side is away from Yoohyeon.

“Sorry, was it that obvious?” The blonde scratches the back of her head sheepishly. 

“Well you almost stepped on Cherry. I know she stole your picture but she’s my only companion at the moment so I kind of want her to live a little longer.” the redhead’s tone is light as she watches Yoohyeon blush lightly. Both of them have small smiles on their lips, feeling less awkward than before. 

“What happened?”

“Got into a bus accident when I traveled to Norway 2 years ago. My arm got caught between the overturned bus and the pavement. By the time paramedics got to me, the nerves were completely destroyed and I had to amputate my arm to save my life.” the older girl leads Yoohyeon further through the forest. Yoohyeon is horrified to learn that Minji lost her arm in such a painful way. The redhead seemed to be okay, if her light disposition was any indicator. Yoohyeon watches as Minji shakes her head as if she were shaking off the memory of the accident. “It happened a long time ago so I don't feel the pain anymore. I’ve gotten used to doing everything with just one hand, although it does make me appreciate having two hands. Cherry can be a handful sometimes.”

This time Minji looks at Yoohyeon with a wry smile on her lips, “Though I guess this must be karma for what I did with your work.” Yoohyeon feels a pang in her chest. Yes, Yoohyeon was upset at Minji (at the time) but she didn’t deserve to lose something as important as her arm in retaliation. 

As if she knew what the taller was thinking, “Yoohyeon. None of that okay?” Minji says sternly but softly. The scientist understood what Minji was referring to as she read that letter several times over. Crumpling it into her pocket to carry it wherever she went. It contained answers to everything but at the same time, nothing. Yoohyeon just was heartbroken. So she read it over and over, as if it would reveal something, anything new.

“Here. This is where you wanted to go right?” the redhead pushes aside a few branches to reveal the beach side with the cove of flowers. Yoohyeon steps through the clearing and spots her friends gathered by the umbrella. 

“It was nice seeing you again.” Yoohyeon whips around to see Minji stepping back into the forest. 

“Wait!” her yell startles Cherry, who runs out of the clearing and onto the beach. The dog makes a beeline for the others under the umbrella and steals a piece of bread from a plate on the mat. Yoohyeon and Minji scramble to catch Cherry from causing a bigger commotion. 

Yoohyeon stumbles about in the sand, tripping over her two feet as a result of Cherry’s agile movements. Knowing Cherry’s tricks, Minji feints a step to the left but uses her arm to swoop down to grab her dog. The redhead falls back on her butt, exhausted from having to clean up after her hyperactive dog all the time. She glances over at Yoohyeon, who had just gotten up from the sand with a groan. 

Bora assists her while laughing her ass off, “What was that?! You got tripped over by a little dog!” 

“Shut it!” Yoohyeon grumbles. It made Minji smile a bit, noting that Yoohyeon was still as clumsy as ever. 

Cherry attempts to wriggle out of Minji’s grasp but Minji is quicker to scold her. “Cherry, no. you’ll get sick eating this.” Minji gives Cherry her best grumpy face and bites the other end of the bread in Cherry’s mouth to pull it away. Her hand was preoccupied with holding Cherry in place. 

The others noticed her actions and immediately see the missing arm. Feeling several eyes on her, the eldest straightens up. “Sorry about Cherry. She gets excited with meeting new people.”

“Minji unnie...” Gahyeon stands up slowly, not believing her eyes. It was her older sister in the flesh. She honestly thought she was dead since no one knew where she went. Minji shoots her and the rest of the group an awkward smile. 

She puts Cherry down once she’s sure her dog isn’t going to run off again, “Hey guys...uh, I won’t kick you guys out since I know you but, this is private property.” Minji scratches the back of her nape with her only hand. “Well, no harm was done except for your belongings being harassed by Cherry.”

“No worries. We didn't know this was private property. That does explain why this area is so empty. Did you grow those yourself?” Yoohyeon points to the cove overrun with a myriad of beautiful flowers. She figured that it was Minji’s doing since she saw her earlier taking care of flowers.

“Yup. Beautiful right? They took a little longer than expected but it was worth it.” Minji explains. She sweeps her gaze over to the rest of them, stopping at Handong’s taller stature. Expression softening, “I’m glad to see that you’re better now.”

“Yes, I am.” Handong replies, equally soft. The chinese girl feels her now fiancee gripping her hand. Yoobin’s expression is blank but there is no malice directed at Minji. If anything, she is curious as to why Minji didn't just get a prosthetic for her missing arm. Surely, if she could afford this piece of paradise, she can afford an arm. 

“Well, you guys can stay and play longer if you’d like. I’ll just tend to the flowers over there really quick and then head home. You know the way out or…?” They nod, prompting her and Cherry to walk off to the cove. 

“Uh...” Siyeon starts but Yoohyeon is quick to put a hand over her mouth. “I know. It was unexpected for me too.” They watch the owner of the cove tend to the flowers with an experienced hand. True to her word, she gets up to leave after a few minutes. As she is passing by where they are having lunch, Yoohyeon calls out to her.

“U-um! Would you-would you like to join us for lunch?” Yoobin looks at her like she grew another head. But Handong squeezes her hand in a reassuring manner. Handong understood that Yoohyeon was never over Minji and that the younger girl needed this. The redhead is shocked in place while her dog happily ran over for some free treats and head pats. 

She quickly sobers up and crouches down to hold Cherry’s head in place. “I...” Yoohyeon knows that Minji is about to refuse so she uses her best weapon: the puppy eyes. Gahyeon almost snorts out loud when she sees her older sister quickly averting her eyes. Seems like Yoohyeon still had an effect on Minji as well. These two were so hopeless.

So Gahyeon decided to give them a push. She reaches for Minji’s wrist and tugs, giving her puppy eyes too. Minji’s mouth opens but no sound comes out. Lastly, Cherry’s little head swivels under her hand to give her puppy eyes too. Faced with overwhelming cuteness, Minji has no choice but to give in. “Okay...but only if everyone is okay with me being here.”

Yoohyeon looks pointedly to her friends and is satisfied when they all nod in agreement. Even Yoobin. So Minji takes a seat on the sand, not wanting to sit too closely to anyone and make them uncomfortable. Gahyeon hands her a sandwich while Cherry settles in her lap, waiting to be fed too. 

It was awkward for a bit but Minji takes the initiative since Yoohyeon had done so earlier. She asks how and what everyone was doing now and answers their questions in return. Just as the atmosphere was getting to a more comfortable level, Minji’s wristwatch beeps. She feels around her pockets for a bit but does not find what she is looking for. 

Giving others an apologetic look, Minji stands up, dusting the sand off her pants. “Sorry guys. I have to head back now. It was nice seeing all of you again. Enjoy your vacation.”

And just like that, Minji disappears behind the clearing. Though this time, Yoohyeon knows exactly where to find her.

\--

“Ugh.” Silence.

“Ugggggghhhhhh.” More silence.

“UGGGGHHHH.” 

“OKAY YOU HAVE OUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION YOU BIG DOG!” Bora finally had enough and snapped at the whiny girl. They were all settled into Siyeon’s and Bora’s hotel room to have movie night though that was quickly turning into Yoohyeon’s love life counseling night. 

“Help me guyssssss.” The tallest girl whines. She kicks her legs out like a 3 year old and flopped onto the bed like a fish. Yoobin and Handong, who were cuddling in bed attempt to kick her off. “Hey I know you two are really happy right now but I am in an existential crisis. Please give me some love and attention.” Yoohyeon almost feels the betrayal when she hears Handong whisper  _ when are you not? _ under her breath. Almost.

“Look, we do love you Yooh,” Bora says, “But this is something that you have to face on your own terms. We know how devastated you were when everything went to shit so...so we don't want you to get hurt again. Especially not by the same person.”

“Are you saying you’re against me meeting her again?”

Bora sighed, “No, I just think that if you really want to give Kim Minji a chance again, you should be more careful with your heart. You only have one of those. Non-refundable and non-replaceable.”

Yoohyeon looked at her usual tormentor with admiration. “Wow, Bora, that’s deep considering you have zero dating experience. I expected this wisdom from Dongie but not you.” Bora reaches over to smack the cheeky girl on the back of her head.

“I do too you little brat!” In that moment, Siyeon comes into the room with a bag of snacks from the convenience store. “And she’s right here!” Bora leaps into Siyeon’s arms and gives her a long kiss for all to see. When she pulls away, Siyeon is looking at her with a shell-shocked expression, as is everyone else. 

“Sorry, baby. The cat is out of the bag.” Bora did not sound apologetic at all. Once they recover from the shock, they bombard the couple with questions. 

“What the hell?! Since when were you two together?!” Yoobin raises her voice, incredulous at the new development. 

“Since last year but we kept it a secret for shits and giggles. Turns out all of you are too dumb to notice.” Yoohyeon tried to get back at Bora for that gripe but misses by a mile. 

“Anyways, this ain’t about us. Yoohyeon, you’re an adult so you can decide for yourself. If anything happens, we’ll always be here.” Yoohyeon felt her heart warming at her friends’ support. She was truly lucky to have them, even if they did tease her all the time.

“Yoobin?” Everyone knew that Yoobin had the most reservations about Kim Minji. Even if they finally understood the ex-CEO’s intentions, it hurt all the same knowing that Handong might have never gotten back on her feet. Thankfully, everything worked out in the end.

“You deserve a shot at happiness, Yooh.” is all she says before getting tackled into a hug. 

\--

And that is how Yoohyeon ended up in front of Minji’s wooden house again. She stumbled a bit to find her way for 30 minutes but she made it. And now she’s super nervous. Knocking on the door lightly, Yoohyeon thinks she is going to hurl her lunch on the flowers. 

The door opens, revealing a recently showered Minji. “Yoohyeon?” Cherry wriggles between the door to greet Yoohyeon. 

“Me dinner eat.” Yoohyeon blurts. Her face explodes red at the nonsense that comes out of her mouth. “Wai-Wait I-I mean...”

Minji bursts with laughter, unbridled. Yoohyeon stares at the older girl, amazed at this new expression that she has never seen Minji make before. The older girl looked so unburdened and so happy. It was honestly breathtaking. “You want to have dinner with me? You know you don’t owe me anything. You don't have to do this.”

Yoohyeon’s expression softened, “I know but I want to spend time with you, on my own terms. Is that okay?” Minji contemplates for a while, studying the younger girl’s face for any signs of discomfort. 

“Okay.”

\--

The cafe Minji recommends for dinner is small and quaint. “Most people are at the beach enjoying seafood and drinks at this time.” Minji explains, gesturing to the emptiness of the restaurant. The waiter leads them to a table by the window with a view of the beach across the street. Unfortunately, there were so many people at the beach that they didn't get much of a view at all. Not that it was better than Minji’s private beach.

After having a nice dinner with small talk and jokes in between, they decide to walk along the shores. The two had idle conversation until Minji decided to go straight to the heart of the matter. “Yoohyeon, why are you doing this?”

“I-I just...I never got over you.” Yoohyeon settled on being honest. Right now, that was the best thing their relationship needed. “Every time you come back to me after a long period away, I can’t help but want to be closer to you again. It sounds stupid, like I’m some dog who can’t let go of her favorite toy. But...I can’t help what I feel and I need to start being honest with myself.”

To her complete surprise, Minji doesn’t even flinch. There’s something that Yoohyeon can’t identify in her brown eyes but she hopes it isn’t anything bad. Minji places her hand on Yoohyeon’s, gripping it lightly. 

“Then I will be honest as well. You’re all I thought about all these years.” 

That night, under the blankets of Minji’s little home, Minji and Yoohyeon re-acquainted themselves with the other’s touch, trying to make up for lost time. Kissing was like a paradox: the action breathed life into one another and yet they were completely breathless.

Yoohyeon placed her hand on the hem of Minji’s sweater but did not move, “Is this okay?” she asked, referring to revealing Minji’s missing appendage. It was obvious that Minji wore sweaters to hide her amputated arm so Yoohyeon didn’t want to overstep any bounds. The thoughtfulness and gentleness of the younger girl brought tears to Minji’s eyes. 

It had been a long time since another human was so gentle with her as she chose to live out her days in this quiet part of the island with her dog as her only companion. Minji took it upon herself to remove her sweater, exposing the stump on her left arm. Before she could even say or do anything, Yoohyeon cups her face gently and strokes her cheeks with her thumb. 

“Don’t cry Minji.” Minji herself didn’t even realize that she started crying. Yoohyeon’s soft gaze and gentle mistrations brought on more tears. It was embarrassing for Minji because she wanted to give Yoohyeon all of her love but here she was, crying like a baby. As if the younger girl knew what she was thinking, she tugs her down so that she is laying in the crook of her neck. Yoohyeon is caressing the back of her head while running the other hand up and down her back in a comforting manner. 

“It’s okay now. You don't have to do or say anything, Minji. Just let me hold you.” They stayed in that position the whole night. Just skin to skin contact and the occasional kiss. Minji felt more comfort in these simple things than anything else. 

\--

“So when are they getting married?”

“Don’t know. Yoob just proposed a few days ago.” Came the reply, muffled by a popsicle in the speaker’s mouth. The redhead beside her grimaced at the mess from the dripping treat. She hands her a napkin, only to have Yoohyeon pout her lips, wanting Minji to dab the mess away for her. 

“You big baby.” Minji giggles at the silly grin Yoohyeon is wearing after getting what she wants. Immediately after, her dog turns around with her face a mess from her doggie ice cream feast. Minji laughs out loud seeing how her dog and her date are far too similar to each other. 

In the distance, a figure is dashing towards them at breakneck speed. Gahyeon has a terrified expression on her face, running around Minji to hide behind her back. A few minutes later, Bora rounds the corner with a murderous look. 

“Lee Gahyeon~ Come out so I can squish your cheeks until you explode~” Bora sang, scaring Gahyeon to cower even more behind Minji. Minji turns her head back slightly to ask what Gahyeon did. Maybe she needs to throw Gahyeon under the bus to save herself if the reason warrants it. 

“I swear I didn't know that the yogurt in the fridge was Siyeon’s!” Gahyeon screams from behind her human shield. Bora ignores her and tried to get around Minji’s body to swipe at the youngest. 

“Ack! Minji unnie! Help!” Minji is helplessly jostled in between the two girls, not wanting to take any sides. Gahyeon would be mad at her for days and Bora would just outright murder her. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place, so to speak. Yoohyeon tried her best to get her date out of the fray but she was a weak, wobbly tree with zero muscles. 

Her savior comes in the form of one Handong, an angel sent in from China. The chinese girl firmly grips Bora’s and Gahyeon’s shoulders, effectively separating them. Minji wriggles out from the middle and breathes a sigh of relief. 

“Dongie! Gahyeon made Singnie sad so she deserves what she’s getting!” Bora tries to argue. Gahyeon was about to open her mouth to rebuke but Handong gives them both a stern look. They immediately clamour up, not wanting to unleash a hidden beast. Handong could be really scary when she wanted to be. Sometimes, even Yoobin could not stop her nor is she free from getting an earful from her fiancee. 

Handong sighs heavily like these two were adding on years to her life. “Now, I don’t care what your reasons are. The both of you are disturbing the people around you and you are interrupting Yoohyeon’s date.” They both have the decency to at least look apologetic towards Yoohyeon and Minji. Glancing at each other and then at Handong, Bora and Gahyeon agree to a truce, for now. 

Yoohyeon perks up after the chaos has receded. “We weren’t doing much but Minji tells me that there’s a festival going on tonight. It’s by the main beach. We should go!”

“It’s unlimited seafood and drinks after purchasing tickets.” Minji adds. Bora looks excited to attend an island party so she easily agrees, promising to get everyone else on board. Minji walks over to the vendor and makes the purchase without batting an eye. 

Yoohyeon is curious. “I’ve been meaning to ask but how are you able to pay for all of this?” Minji understands that Yoohyeon is referring to her living expenses and such. 

“Stocks. I just live off of the payoffs from those. You already know where my exit fee from Kim Corporation went so yeah...” Yoohyeon thought that Minji must be a genius in investing if she was able to build a small fortune to sustain herself for this long. From what the blonde could gather, Minji had been traveling around the world, soul-searching as the girl had put it, before settling down at Jeju island. She supposes Minji’s business senses hadn’t dulled since she was kicked out of the company. 

Feeling a little courageous, Yoohyeon reaches for Minji’s hand and intertwines them as she watches the older girl pocket the tickets. 

“Let’s go to the aquarium. I want to see some turtles.” Yoohyeon says, tugging their joined hands in the direction of the aquarium. Behind them, Gahyeon leans over to Handong to whisper to her. 

“Do you think they know that we’re still here?”

Handong merely grins, “Let them be.”

\--

The festival air is full of excitement and laughter. Tiki torches line the beach, campfires are laid out every few feet and vendors are selling off their products to the crowd. The music is pumping a dance rhythm into the air, electrifying the party-goers to let loose. Normally, Yoohyeon would avoid scenes like these but it’s her last vacation day before going back to Seoul. She wants this last night to be fun and memorable with her friends and Minji. 

Speaking of Minji, the girl had not let go of her hand since they arrived. Yoobin gave them a pointed look but said nothing more. Bora and Siyeon already disappeared somewhere in the crowd, probably drinking and being their usual crazy selves. Handong, Yoobin and Gahyeon opted to stick together and enjoy some delectables that Jeju had to offer. 

“Minji, can I talk to you in private?” Yoohyeon whisper-yells into the redhead’s ear. Minji quickly nods and pulls them into a quieter area with a rocky outcrop. The only sounds are the waves crashing against the formation. 

“What’s up Yoohyeon? Not having fun?” Minj is genuinely worried that she dragged Yoohyeon into something she hated. Come to think of it, Yoohyeon was never the type to party and drink so Minji was having second thoughts. 

“No no everything’s fine. This is pretty cool actually. I just wanted to ask you a few things while I still can. I’m going back to Seoul tomorrow so I want to know where we stand.” the tall blonde explains. She sees Minji sighing in relief and it made her smile too. Minji has always been considerate of Yoohyeon’s well-being.

The redhead works her throat, thinking of the right words to say. They come to her easily when she just thinks about it in very simple terms. “I want to be with you, Yooh.” Her heart melts a little when she sees Yoohyeon’s eyes soften. 

“Me too.” These two words were very simple and yet they had a profound effect on Minji. It was all the reassurance that she needed to hear. 

“Would you be willing to come back? Maybe stay for a few days, talk to your mom?” Yoohyeon knew what was on Minji’s mind when she suggested it so she wanted to reaffirm what the older girl was comfortable with. 

So it stuns her when she sees the resolution in Minji’s eyes. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her and I think I’m ready now.” Minji glances down briefly, taking a deep breath. Yoohyeon cups her face to lift it up and plants a soft kiss on her lips. When they part, Yoohyeon is glad that Minji’s eyes are no longer clouded or empty. It was a good sign.

“I’m still scared.” Minji admits. “But I’ve spent years hiding away from the monster that my father made of me--that I’ve made of myself. I...I’m better now. I look into the mirror and I’m no longer repulsed by the person that I see.”

“Yeah?” Yoohyeon starts to tear up at Minji’s admission. She had always thought that Minji was beautiful and it hurt to know that the older girl hated herself.

“Yeah.” Minji had learned to not overthink and to just follow her heart instead of her brain. Often times, her brain would just run around in circles from her irrational fears about her father finding her and taking her back. She didn’t want to be caged anymore. 

She was just a lost girl floating in the darkness of space. There were no sounds, no light, no warmth. But somehow, somehow, a little twinkling star in the form of a girl from her childhood made its way into her universe. That star would one day grow to be so big and so bright that Minji would start to gravitate towards it. Even when it dimmed for some time, Minji still felt its residue warmth, keeping her afloat in her hardest moments. 

And Minji was totally okay with that. She was okay with her star being Kim Yoohyeon. She was okay with the way that Yoohyeon would kiss her like she was the only person that mattered. She was okay with facing her fears of going home as long as Yoohyeon was by her side.

And sometime in the near future, when a certain wedded couple has a child, Minji will find herself wanting one with Yoohyeon too. 

She was home, in the arms of her universe. 

\--


End file.
